Radical faith refuses to be refused
IN a week’s time, 2017 will be over! Yes it’s true. But get this, it’s not yet over until it’s over! Refuse to end the year in pain and surrender. Refuse to be refused. O hallelujah, radical faith refuses to be refused! One day Jesus was walking “. . . and, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil”.
But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying: “Send her away; for she crieth after us”. But he answered and said, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel”.
Then came she and worshipped him, saying: “Lord help me”.
But he answered and said: “It is not right to take the children’s bread and to cast it to dogs. And she said: “Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
Then Jesus answered and said unto her: “O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour” (Matthew 15:21-28).
Here we see a woman whose daughter was tormented by an evil spirit imploring the Lord Jesus for a miracle! Do you also have a tormenting situation in your life? In a hot spot financially with no longer anyone to stand with or get support from, especially this Christmas?
Enduring your marriage instead of enjoying it and just living for the sake of living?
Lost in life and can’t figure out direction? Don’t give up. When things get tough, the tough get going.
The Canaanite woman turned to the Lord for it is Him who had the answer. Hear this and hear it well, Jesus is the answer! O hallelujah, I like it, I like it!
The first thing when you need a turn around is to turn to the Lord for help and not man. Turn to the Lord! Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.
After turning to the Lord and surprisingly getting totally no response, the woman wondered what she would do next, but decided to keep calling and pressing till her answer comes.
This is where many people who turn to the Lord for help miss it.
They call to Him and quickly expect some sort of dramatic response, yet on this circumstance Jesus “answered her not a word”.
In simpler terms He ignored her!
Friend, in life learn to ignore being ignored. That’s an attitude of persistence. This lady had learnt it and refused to be refused. When you pray and nothing happens, don’t just walk away and complain - hold on and press on.
Another reason why many desire the promises of God and pray, but later quickly give up, is because they come to God with Plan B. Ooo hallelujah!
True faith has no Plan B apart from God’s Word and promises, it’s God and God alone. Some pray with a back-up plan of trying out other things, like charms, goblins and many life-wrecking practices which are temporary and have jeopardised lives of many, leaving them worse than they were before.
Beloved; stand on the Word of God. Do not give up. There is a God in heaven who works miracles and fights for those who trust in Him.
Drop Plan B mentality when you enter God’s Presence and you want to embrace the promises of God, of healing, peace, provision, divine protection and all, no wonder the woman kept calling. She had Jesus as her answer and Jesus alone! True faith trusts God and God alone.
Finally, when Jesus answered the lady, it wasn’t a “good answer” or what she wanted to hear.
He said to her “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel”.
In other words, I do help people but not you, you are not in that category. O hallelujah.
This was a test. True faith is always tested. If she had option B, the lady would have packed her things and went for it. The person she thought would help was somewhat “rough” to her.
Friend, it’s not all we call “rough” that is rough.
Your miracle often-times will not come in a silver platter. You have to fight.
A saying of old says “Pane uchi pane nyuchi” (Where there is honey there are bees). Honey is sweet but bees bite. In business, finances, marriage, academics or spiritual life, bees can bite, but will you leave the honey? O hallelujah! Drop that bitterness and go for your honey in that situation, stay loyal to your vows; drop that suicidal spirit, there is honey ahead.
Drop the resignation letter because of the minor misunderstanding at work and get your full worth.
You might have been bitten, but ignore the bees. Faith ignores insults and goes for the promises of God.
What comes your way may not be what you want, but go for what you want.
Upon further crying for help to Him, Jesus said something worse than the first statement.
Hear what He says: “It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.” The lady was strong. She wavered not. After being ignored, after being discriminated and this time nearly called a “dog”, she still would not falter. She knew what she wanted and answered: “Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” This was it! She had passed her test.
Where you about to throw in the towel? Don’t. Your miracle is looming. Hold on, with persistence and faith like this woman, for finally the Lord said: “O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.”